Voice of the People, May. 09

May 09, 2014

Racism a la Sterling

Donald Sterling has been made the poster boy for racism as a result of an incendiary phone conversation and his historical aversion to minorities occupying his rental properties. Sadly, racism in today's world is not limited to Sterling; it is as pervasive today as it was 50 years ago, and many other Sterlings still exist.

I grew up in a completely white suburb in which black people could not be on public streets after 6 p.m. I attended an all-white school, and my familiarity with blacks was limited to those in a servile capacity. We once had a cleaning woman who was black and was one of those individuals who made sure she was on a bus back home before 6.

Although condescension toward black people was never expressed in my own home, I was, nevertheless, affected for life with stereotypes that have remained embedded in my psyche forever. My view of people of color was "colored" by the world around me: television shows, literature, places of employment and ignorant people who expressed prejudices openly. Political correctness was not in vogue several decades ago.

Despite my education, close friendships with all ethnicities (including "some of my best friends who happen to be black," a cliche I despise), I am constantly reminded that that which becomes embedded in one's thought processes is not easily dispelled. For example: Can a black Supreme Court justice really be as qualified as his peers, or would I trust a black financial manager to manage my assets? Though I know the answers to such questions intellectually, I remain haunted and limited by that which has been ingrained in me by society at large. I repeatedly have to question my thought processes.

A close friend of mine who happens to be African-American and as close to me as a son urged me to express these views because as an intelligent, well-educated and well-employed young man living in the year 2014, he sometimes gets stopped when driving his upscale car because of racial profiling. Also I have been educated through his eyes as to the way in which black people are still portrayed in our society.

Sadly, despite the efforts and advancement of blacks, some things still have not changed.

For every Donald Sterling, there are a thousand other Donald Sterlings.

I am quite amused by all the outrage and righteous indignation regarding the alleged comments made by Donald Sterling.

While it goes without saying that his comments are insulting and should be dealt with, there are several issues that are much more compelling.

Where is the outrage over the fact that our young black children are being pushed out of their neighborhood schools and shuttled into charter schools while the elite schools are reserved for white students?

Why are our major streets in the black community being inundated with speed cameras?

While it is sad but not surprising that the NAACP saw fit to award this man a lifetime achievement award, where is the outrage?

It is very easy for blacks and whites to point the finger of shame at Sterling when all around us black people are being told that they are unworthy.

Fortunately blacks in the National Basketball Association have enough power to demand action.

Wouldn't it be nice if blacks and people of goodwill banded together and practiced what they preach?

— Marcy Malone, Chicago

Congressional redistricting

Hooray for the organizers of the petition drive for a state constitutional amendment that would eliminate partisan redistricting of legislative districts.

However, we also desperately need a federal constitutional amendment that would require non-partisan redistricting of congressional districts.

Because of political gerrymandering, we currently have a House of Representatives controlled by extremists in the Republican Party who are elected from politically "safe" districts, even though that party's congressional candidates received about 480,000 fewer total votes nationwide than their Democratic opponents in the 2012 general election did.

This situation, in turn, has led to our largely dysfunctional national government.

If congressional districts were drawn up on a non-partisan basis and included voters with a wider diversity of economic and political views, candidates from either party who take moderate positions on the issues and are willing to make compromises for the good of the country could get elected.